Martha took the air ticket, making no objection to Steve's arrangement, but Nicole spoke.
"Let me stay with my aunt. She doesn't have anyone to talk to these days. Besides, you are not familiar
with her. I can sit with her and chat along the way. It takes around six hours to get to Bordeaux. It's
boring."
Steve hastily tried to dissuade her.
"Ms. Nicole, you need Cara to take care of you. You..."
"I'm not that fragile. How far gone am I? It's fine. I'm just travelling by air. Don't be nervous. Besides,
she is my aunt. What can she do to me?"
Nicole smiled and directly rejected Steve's request.
"Ms. Nicole, but..."
"Come on. Look at my aunt. She looks weak. What harm can she do to me? It's settled."
Nicole's final decision silenced Steve.
From beginning to end, Martha did not step in, as if she did not care about the arrangement.
She had been watching people coming and going, deep in thought.
Nicole held her arm and said with a smile, "Auntie, let's board the plane. It's about to take off."
"Alright."
Martha smiled faintly, going through the security check with Nicole's help.
She didn't bring much baggage with her, so it was easy for her.
Steve had been watching Martha, but he did not find anything unusual about her.
Nicole and Martha got on the plane, found their own seats and sat down, chatting happily.
Martha felt a little sleepy. Nicole hastily said, "Auntie, go to sleep. I'll wake you up when we arrive."
"Alright."
Martha did not refuse. She was really tired. Not long after she closed her eyes, she started to breathe
steadily.
Nicole was influenced by her, drifting off to sleep.
When she woke up, the plane had landed. People were talking loudly in the cabin.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
Nicole asked doubtfully, feeling dizzy.
She never got airsick. Why did she suddenly feel dizzy?
"Auntie?"
Nicole looked at Martha, who seemed to have just woken up next to her.
"I don't know. I just woke up. What's wrong?"
As she spoke, Cara ran over.
"Madam, we haven't arrived in Bordeaux yet. We are changing the plane at the transit airport. It seems
that the plane is out of order. Steve got off to take a look."
"Is the plane out of order?"
Nicole thought she heard it wrong. Why was it so coincidental?
This plane was supposed to be overhauled before it took off. Why did it suddenly break down?
Martha rubbed her temples and said, "What's going on? I'm very dizzy."
"Me too. My head feels heavy. Maybe it's too hot and stuffy here. Cara, go and see if Steve is back. We
are getting off with him."
Cara got off the plane at her order.
After a short time, Cara came back
"Madam, I can't find Steve. We need to catch the connecting flight. Otherwise, we have to wait for the
next plane."
Nicole narrowed her eyes.
Martha said in a low voice, "Why don't we go first? Steve works for him, and he will find us."
Nicole glanced at Martha and said in a low voice, "But Steve knows where my mother is. I don't know."
"You don't know? Why don't you know?"
Martha seemed to be very surprised.
Nicole scratched her forehead and said, "I didn't ask. With Steve around, I didn't think too much. Let's
wait for him. Perhaps he will come back soon."
Martha did not say anything else.
The other passengers on the plane quickly got off and transferred to another plane through the transit
passage, where Nicole waited for Steve for a long time, but he didn't come. She felt uneasy.
As a retainer of the Shaws, Steve was absolutely obedient to Edwin. He would definitely not leave in
the middle of his mission unless someone made him.
Nicole's heart sank at the thought of it.
Martha looked at Nicole and asked, "Do we need to wait for him?"
"Let's go. Perhaps something has held him up. We'll contact him after we get to Bordeaux."
Nicole made a quick decision, boarding the plane with Martha and Cara.
When the plane took off, Nicole looked down and saw a figure being dragged out of the airport.
That figure looked like Steve.
Eyes darkening, she did not say or do anything, as if nothing had happened. She sat beside Martha
and closed her eyes, dozing off.
Cara was a little worried. She came to Nicole, wishing to exchange seats with Martha, who refused with
the excuse of feeling unwell.
"Cara, go back. My aunt will take care of me. It's fine. Don't worry."
Nicole smiled faintly, which soothed Cara somehow, as if everything was fine with her around.
Cara went back to her seat, and Nicole closed her eyes again and rested.
Martha glanced at her, a glimmer of some emotions flashing across her eyes, but she looked away and
closed her eyes.
After flying for more than four hours, the plane finally landed at the airport.
Nicole stretched lazily and shook her neck, smiling. "I'm tired from the journey. I feel hungry. Auntie,
what do you want to eat? Why don't we grab a bite at the airport after we get off the plane? Anyway, we
have to contact Steve, who will arrive in half an hour even if he takes the next plane. Auntie, you adore
me, and you won't starve me and my baby, right?"
As she spoke, she held Martha's arm and pleaded like a little girl.
Martha paused for a moment, and then shook her head helplessly with a smile.
"You are a grown-up. How could you behave like a little girl?"
"No matter how old I am, I will always be a child in your eyes. Come on. Let's go. Let's go eat
something. I see that there is KFC at the airport. Let's go eat some. I promise I'll just eat a little, okay?"
Nicole extended her fingers and squeezed her nose, amusing Martha, who laughed.
"Alright, as you wish."
"Auntie, I knew you are the best."
Nicole laughed happily and contentedly.
Looking at Nicole, Cara suddenly felt that she was like a child.
It turned out that Nicole wasn't that aloof, and she had such a childish side.
Cara took their baggage and followed Nicole and Martha off the plane. They went to KFC in the airport
and sat down.
"Cara, order some drinks first. I'm terribly thirsty."
As Nicole spoke, she fanned her collar with her hand. She was sweating.
Martha did not feel hot, but she knew that pregnant women had higher temperatures, so she did not
object.
Cara brought the water over and went to order the food.
Nicole quickly raised her head and drained the entire cup of water.
Nicole drank so much that Martha suddenly felt thirsty.
She picked up the cup and took a sip to moisten her lips. She secretly looked around and drank the
remaining water.
When she looked up, she saw Nicole rest her chin on one hand and gaze at her with meaningful eyes,
which made her heart jump.
"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
"Well, Auntie, you suddenly look pretty."
Nicole suddenly smiled naughtily, which relieved Martha.
"You're having a second pregnancy and you are still so naughty. I am old. How can you say I'm pretty?
Don't trick me, okay?"
"Really, I mean it."
Nicole giggled. Suddenly she covered her stomach and said, "Too bad. I have to go to the bathroom."
Martha immediately became anxious.
"Hold on. Wait until we go out. It's crowded here, and the bathroom is not safe."
"I can't hold it anymore."
Nicole didn't listen to Martha. She rose to her feet and ran quickly towards the bathroom.
"Slow down!"
Martha was worried, following Nicole.
Cara looked at them in bewilderment.
"Madam..."
"Bring me some paper. Hurry up."
Nicole shouted at Cara and ran straight into the bathroom.
Seeing that Martha went in as well, Cara hurriedly put down the baggage and rushed into the bathroom
with the toilet paper.
As soon as she entered the bathroom, she heard Nicole coldly say, "Close the door for me. Don't let in
anyone!"
Cara was taken aback.
Why did Nicole sound so strange?
However, she quickly locked the bathroom door from the inside.
She abruptly turned around and saw Nicole press Martha against the wall and take out a rope from her
pocket, tying Martha up tightly.
"Madam, what are you doing?"
Cara was dumbfounded.
Martha was also puzzled, struggling in vain.
"Nicole, what's wrong with you? Cut it out. I'm your aunt."
"Luckily you're my aunt. Otherwise, I might just kill you."
There was no warmth in Nicole's voice, which sent chills to people's heart. In fact, she felt a ripping
pain at her own heart.
This was her aunt, her mother's younger sister! Regardless of what had happened back then,
regardless of the grudges between the elders, Martha and Audrey were sisters. But what had Martha
done?
Nicole was bitterly disappointed.
Cara did not understand what was going on, but she did not ask any questions. Instead, she took a few
steps back and went straight to the bathroom door, keeping watch on the outside.
Nicole glanced at her without saying anything. She looked at Martha.
She asked coldly, "At this stage, can you tell me why you followed me here?"
"Nicole, what nonsense are you talking about? Are you out of your mind? I'm your aunt, and I
accompany you here to see your mother. Didn't you ask me to come with you? Why are you asking me
now? Why do you tie me up? What's wrong with you?"
Growling angrily, Martha did not give up struggling.
Nicole's eyes turned cold.
"Don't bother. I bound you so tight that you can't break free easily. If it had not been for Steve, perhaps
I would have believed you, believed that you were brought to Bordeaux by me. Auntie, I have
underestimated you."
Nicole's eyes turned cold.
"Don't bother. | bound you so tight that you can't break free easily. If it had not been for Steve, perhaps
| would have believed you, believed that you were brought to Bordeaux by me. Auntie, | have
underestimated you."
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